Connector for backstop hold and locking device



c. J. SMITH 3,406,841

CONNECTOR FOR BAGKSTOP HOLD AND LOCKING DEVICE Oct. 22, 1968 Filed Sept. 7, 1965 INVENTOR.

CULLEN J. SMITH ATTORNEYS 3,406,841 CONNECTOR FOR BACKSTOP HOLD AND A LOCKING DEVICE Cullen J. Smith, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Alvey Con -veyor Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a cor- ;poratin of Missouri Filed Sept. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 485,351 v 3 Claims. (Cl. 2146) ABSTRACT OF THE' DISCLOSURE Sheet stacking apparatus having sheet engaging backstop means movable longitudinally over a sheet-stacking station upon track means that may at times'lack-precision parallelism, and means movable along the tracks for.supporting the backstop in a predetermined position and for transmitting the; sheet impact from the backstop through the supporting means to the tracks without permitting the sheet stopping function thereof. In the foregoing apparatus the backstop supportingmeans comprises two separate devices which are keyed together. by cooperating key elements that will permit substantially norelative motion lengthwise in the sheet stacking station but will permit relative movement in otherdirections to permit out'of parallelism of the tracks without the key-elements breaking engagement. v

This invention relates to a connector for abackstop holding and locking devices for operatively joining the holding and locking device with a backstop member for sheet stackers. Y

- The sheet stacking apparatus involved in this invention includes a sheet receiving and guiding frame located over a pallet on to which the sheets are piled. The sheets are projected into the frame at a speed that will carry them into the frame where a backstop absorbs the energy, and drops the sheets in the desired stacked position. The apparatus is adapted to handle sheets of different lengths and in order: to control the stack the 'backstop must be moved to suit the sheet length. The movement of 'the backstop is effected by a carrier device and the carrier is provided wtih a holding and locking device that moves with the carrier. The carrier and holding devices move along adjacent paths that may have variations in spacing, but which are generally initially parallel within the tolerances of manufacture.

Due to the rangeof movement required by thebackstop, the means forming the paths for the carrier and the holding devices are spaced without anything but end supports. This allows sag to develop that could cause binding and interfere with the desired free movement. Accordingly, a prime object of this invention is to provide a connector between the carrier and holding devices that can withstand the forces absorbed by the backstop and not bind with the spacing variations encountered in the means forming the paths of movement for the carrier and its holding devices.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a first track for a backstop carrier device and an adjacent mandrel for the carrier holding and locking device, to mount the carrier and locking devices for sliding movement thereon, and to join the latter by a force transmitting connector that has lateral adjustability without impairing the positive force transmitting qualities needed.

1/ These and other objects will be set forth in greater detail in connection with the disclosure of a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a sheet stacking 3,406,841 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 apparatus in which portions have been broken away to show the location of the connector of this invention; H

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged and fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus in FIG. 1;

' FIG. 3 is a further fragmentary and partial sectional view showing the connector;

FIG. 4 is a view taken at line 44 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a further view at line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 1 the stacking apparatus 10 has a main frame assembly 11 supporting a sheet feeding conveyor 12 at one end and a frame 13 supported in cantilevered manner by tension means 14 so that one end is free of supports to allow the placement of a pallet 15 on which sheets S are stacked. The frame 13 has parallel side members 16 and 17 connected by cross members 18 and 19. The side members 16 and 17 carry sheet guides 20 and 21 respectively, and a sheet backstop 22 is located between the guides to stop the sheets S and causethe same to descend upon the pallet 15 in substantially aligned condition.

The backstop 22 is operatively mounted (FIGS. 1 and 2) upon a carrier device 23 that slides along a track 24. The track 24 is supported at the ends upon brackets 25 and 26 in the frame .13 so that it is free of any support between its ends. Spaced from the track 24 is a mandrel 25A that is supported at its ends on structure that is part of the supports 25 and 26 for the track 24. The mandrel 25A carries a holding and locking device 27 that is adapted to move with and be connected to the carrier device 23, as will be described presently.

The carrier device 23 is moved by a chain 28 in which one end 28A is attached to a bracket 29 on carrier 23 and runs over a sprocket 30, through the hollow center of the track 24, over a second sprocket 31 and to end 28B that is connected to a bracket 32 on carrier 23. The sprocket 30 is connected to a hand wheel 23 so that the chain 28 may be driven in either direction to slide carrier 23 as needed. The brackets 29 and 32 have rollers 34 to partly support the carrier 23.

The backstop 22 is operably mounted on the carrier 23 by pivot means 35, and the pendular position of the backstop 22 is controlled by a secondary device or shock cylinder 36 having its rod 37 connected to the backstop 22 and its closed end carried on a bracket 38 attached to carrier 23. The impact of the sheets S hitting the backstop 22 is absorbed and would cause the carrier to slide back on the track 24. However, the carrier has a holding and locking device 27 which is a pressure fluid brake that grips the mandrel 25A when fluid is supplied to conduit 39 to cause an internal brake means 40 (FIG. 5) to seize on the mandrel. The brake means 40 is fixed to the device 27 at flanges 41 in a desired way.

The connector 42 between the carrier 23 and the device 27 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 to 5. The connector 42 is adapted to have lateral adjustment movement but to positively maintain a load resistant connection with carrier 23 so that the impact of sheets S on the backstop will not displace the carrier 23. The lateral adjustment is both sidewise to the length of the track 24 and vertical thereto. Such adjustment is to accommodate variations in the spacing between track 24 and mandrel 25A. Track 24 has a length that will allow some degree of sag even though it is a box-section beam, and the track is subject to bending upon sheet impact on the backstop 22. The sag and the bending in the track 24 is different from the sag that may occur in the tubular mandrel 25A. While the desire is to have the track 24 and mandrel 25A substantially parallel or at a constant spacing, it is not practical in operation to try for such precision. Close approximation to parallelism is all that is necessary for track 24 and mandrel 25A, and variations are cared for by the connector 42.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the connector 42 is composed of an enclosing socket 43 fixed on a plate 44 that is bolted to bosses 45 on the device 27. Within the socket 43 is a hardened tooth element 46 substantially centered therein. The upper side of carrier 23 is provided with a pair of hardened teeth elements 47 fixed in spaced position to receive the single tooth 46. The teeth are formed of tool steel material for high unit load transfer and wear resistance, and the relation of the teeth is such that the teeth may have only relative movement vertically (FIG. and laterally (FIG. 4). The socket 43 keeps foreign material out of the teeth and may function as a safety device in the event a tooth should fracture. Of course, the teeth may be reversed with the single tooth on the carrier 23 and teeth 47 on plate 44.

The foregoing disclosure will enable those skilled in this art to make and use this invention and it is understood that equivalent means shall be included in the scope of the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In sheet stacking apparatus, a frame structure horizontally positioned above a work surface, a sheet receiving pallet on the work surface, a track supported in said frame structure by its ends, a carrier device movable along said track, a sheet backstop operably mounted on said carrier to absorb the shock of sheet impact thereon, a mandrel spaced adjacent and substantially parallel to said track and mounted in said frame, a sheet backstop holding and locking device movably mounted on said mandrel and having means to lock itself to the mandrel in a selected position, and a connector between said carrier device and said holding and locking device for transmitting motion of the carrier to the locking device comprising a first element on one of said devices and a pair of spaced elements on the other of said devices, said elements interlocking for conjoint movement in the direction of said track and being relatively slidable in directions transverse to said track.

2. In sheet stacking apparatus, a horizontally elongated frame spaced above a sheet receiving station, a pair of tracks carried by said frame in parallel spaced relation, a support device movable on one track, a sheet backstop attached to said support device, a holding and locking device movable on the second track, means to lock said holding and locking device in predetermined position, and means connecting said devices for conjoint movement lengthwise of said tracks including a single key element on one of said devices and a pair of spaced key elements rigidly fixed in position on the other of said devices, all of said key elements having substantially no relative movement therebetween in either direction of movement lengthwise of said tracks to inhibit backlash and transmit motion through said devices from said backstop to said track carrying frame, and said single key element having relative freedom of movement transversely of said tracks in any position of said holding and locking device along said tracks.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said key elements comprise elongated hardened blocks having cooperating abutment faces set substantially perpendicularly to the lengthwise direction of said tracks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,869,046 7/ 1932 Buck.

2,266,791 12/1941 Norbom 214-516 2,348,019 5/1944 Norbom 214-516 2,661,949 12/1953 Bauer 271-86 2,761,682 9/1956 Buccicone 271-86 3,191,927 6/1965 Hartbauer et al. 214-6 3,049,083 8/1962 Potter 156 3,068,809 12/1962 Parker 105-150 X ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, Primary Examiner.

G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington, D.C. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,406,84l October 22, 1968 Cullen J. Smith It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 29, after "for" cancel "a. Column 2, line 66, after "and" :ancel 'the" Column 4, line 17, before "having" insert and pair of apaced key elements Signed and sealed this 21st day of April 1970.

SEAL) LttCStZ dward M. Fletcher, Jr. E.

.ttesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

